<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>An Engagement In Wales by Directioner1988</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24271366">An Engagement In Wales</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Directioner1988/pseuds/Directioner1988'>Directioner1988</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Lewis (TV), Midsomer Murders - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Cheating, F/M, Heartbreak, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Own Characters - Freeform, Wedding, ex-boyfriend</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-05-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 00:02:42</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,380</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24271366</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Directioner1988/pseuds/Directioner1988</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Charlie proposes to Ben while on holiday in Wales</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ben Jones/Charlie Nelson, Cully Barnaby/Simon Dixon, Jamie Winter/Kam Karimore, John Barnaby/Sarah Barnaby, Joyce Barnaby/Tom Barnaby, Kate Wilding/Dan Scott</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>37</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>An Engagement In Wales</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>At first my idea was to have Charlie and Ben work together on a case, the I decided to upgrade it to a love story</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> <b> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn9E5i7l-Eg">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wn9E5i7l-Eg</a> </b> </em>
</p><p>
  <em> <b>Song: What Have I Done To Deserve This?</b> </em>
</p><p><em> <b>Artist: Pet Shop Boys &amp; Dusty Springfield</b> </em> <b></b> <b></b></p><p><b>++++</b> <b></b></p><p><em> <b>"</b> </em> <em> <b>When you choose to love, you must be faithful. Because why would you hurt the one you love" - Calista 'Cali' Ferrer (My Ex &amp; Whys, 2017)</b> </em></p><p>
  <b>++++</b>
</p><p>
  <b>The only thing Ben was looking forward to after spending a long day cooped up in the offices of Causton CID catching up with vital paperwork, was getting home and spending the evening in front of the TV watching North By Northwest. That was about to change though as Ben carefully pulled onto the driveway of the home he shared with the native Mancunian, when his facial expressions dramatically changed from happiness to dread as he spotted not only James' '77 blue Chevy parked on the drive but a '98 Ford Fiesta parked alongside it. Hoping his worst fears weren't about to be confirmed, the brunette made his way over to the front door and let himself in, when he could hear the faint of laughter coming from upstairs. Hanging his keys up, he took of his rain soaked coat and hung it on the banister, before quietly making his way upstairs to investigate where the laughter was coming from. Edging his way across the landing, he could hearing the laughter getting louder. Finally locating the source, he spotted the bedroom was slightly ajar, taking the opportunity, he headed towards the open door and peeked inside, he found his fiancé kissing another man, both were topless and smothered in whipped cream, watching on Ben couldn't help but feel heartbroken as the man he thought he loved, cheating on him again. Deciding there was only thing he could do, he slammed the bedroom door wide open and stood there with his arms folded as James and the lad broke apart</b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>'Benjamin'</b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>'Firstly don't you Benjamin me and secondly do you mind in explaining what is going on here?' he booms, his voice wavering as the threat of tears falling grew ever stronger</b>
</p><p>
  <b>'It's not what it looks like, honestly' James exclaims turning to face an angry looking Ben</b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>'Doesn't it, then please feel free to tell me what it looks like'</b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>With James unable to even speak let alone answer, Ben continued on with his rant while entering the room 'Because to me it looks like a blonde haired boy is lying on my bed completely topless and covered whipped cream with you kissing him'</b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>Trying to think of quick excuse James blurted out 'He was asking for directions on how to get to Midsomer Magna'</b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>'Quit with the lies James, you invited him over knowing I would be at work for a quick hanky panky with the lad I nicked two weeks ago for armed robbery and possession of a firearm' Ben screams stepping out on the landing where another lad was slowly approaching the bedroom dressed only in his boxers</b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>'Ben, will you let me explain?' James pleads following the DS on to the landing</b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>'Let you explain' Ben scoffs 'Why should I let you explain James... I caught you in my bed with him, only to go and discover that you've invited the local librarian into my bedroom for fun too' </b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>Not letting James a chance to speak, Ben raced downstairs and outside to the midwinter air that greeted Causton before falling his knees, finally letting the tears get the better of him</b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>'Benjamin please'</b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>'No, I have given you enough chances, even when you didn't deserve them and each time, you still went behind my back cheated on me. Well I've had enough of you and your cheating ways, I want you out of my house and out of my life for good <em>AND</em> don't call me Benjamin'</b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>Without even looking at James in the eyes, Ben stood up and walked back into the house, making sure to lock it, so his ex couldn't come back in and persuade him that he had changed his cheating ways. Hearing the sounds of James' car roar into life, he slid down the door and held his head in hands trying to contemplate where his relationship with James went wrong. An hour after calling quits, the Welsh lad stood up and walked into the living room, taking his place in front the fiery fire, he looked down at the fiery flames and took his engagement ring off an, proceeded to throw it into the fire. Sure that his ex was nowhere in sight, Ben unlocked the front and headed back outside before locking the front door and calling a taxi, waiting for the taxi to arrive, Ben got on the phone to the Causton Locksmiths and asked if was possible that they could change the locks to the front door, getting a yes, he smiled and thanked them. A good twenty minutes later and Ben found himself being driven to the only place, he found comfort in... The Black Swan in Badger's Drift. Thanking the driver, he paid for his journey and headed inside, where he was greeted by James Hathaway</b>
  <br/>
  <b><br/>'OK, Benjamin, what's transpired this time?' she asks as Ben takes his seat at the bar</b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>'Huh'</b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>'She means what's happened this time?' James repeats in a language that Ben could understand </b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>'Oh, caught him cheating again'</b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>'For Christ sake, Benjamin how many times am I going to have to tell you to dump the prat'</b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>'Honestly Jen, I don't know, I've lost count' Ben sighs taking a sip of his vodka and orange</b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>'What excuse did he give you this time?' James asks curiously taking a seat next to Ben</b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>'The lad was asking for directions of how to get to Midsomer Magna'</b>
</p><p>
  <b>'Ah, the old directions excuse, heard enough of them while living in Oxford' </b>
</p><p>
  <b>'Please tell me that you didn't believe him for a second'</b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>'Nope, I think he may have forgotten that I'm a police officer, so he knows when I can spot a liar' Ben explains as Jennifer places another vodka and orange in front of her friend</b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>'I know the feeling, back in Oxford I caught my last girlfriend cheating on me with her professor. A day later I confronted her about what I saw and she denied anything was going on, so I called it quits on the relationship. Only then did she admit the truth' </b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>'Wow, so how did you meet Jennifer?'</b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>'I was in the middle of a case, when she was struggling to break up a fight, so I went and helped her'</b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>'Was it love at first sight then?'</b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>'Not at first but after a while she admitted that she fancied me and wondered if I'd like to go out on date with her. I said yes and the rest is history'</b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>'Did she know that you were a former police officer?'</b>
</p><p><b>'She did, although</b> <b>I must say she was a tad disappointed when I told her that I didn't have to wear a uniform'</b></p><p>
  <b>'I shouldn't laugh but oh my god'</b>
</p><p>
  <b>'No, you shouldn't' Jennifer defended her actions looking at James and playfully hitting him with a tea towel 'And you shouldn't encourage him'</b>
</p><p>
  <b>'Just out curiosity, do you think I'll ever find Mr. Right?</b>
</p><p>
  <b>'Of course I do'</b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>'And so do I' Jennifer agreed </b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>'Thanks, I better be going, otherwise I'll be getting a lecture from DCI Barnaby about lateness'</b>
  <br/>
  <br/>
  <b>'I'll drive you home' </b>
</p><p>
  <b>'Bye Jennifer'</b>
</p><p>
  <b>'See you later'</b>
</p><p>
  <b>'Jay, sorry about Benjamin, he can turn into Jeremy Paxman when he's had to much to drink'</b>
</p><p>
  <b>'It's OK, I've been asked worst' </b>
</p><p>
  <b>While driving, James started to learn more about Ben and how he became friends with Jennifer</b>
</p><p>
  <b>It only took an hour or so to arrive safely back at Ben's house in Causton, due to the quietness of the roads at 2am in the morning. Making sure Ben had safely entered his house, James drove off back to the pub he ran with his wife</b>
</p><p>
  <b>Making his way upstairs, he stopped at a picture of him when he first joined Midsomer Constabulary concealed in a silver engraved frame that his ex had bought him for his birthday. Sighing he carried on upstairs and to the spare bedroom, where he flopped down onto the bed and cried himself to sleep</b>
</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>